Luna, Apayao – Cacao growers and processors from across the province of Apayao convened on November 16, 2022, through the Cacao Forum organized by the DTI-Apayao to push for more production and more quality products through the crafting of a provincial-wide road map to upscale strategies.
The said event was participated in by cacao farmers, producers, and other stakeholders with the participation of line agencies and institutions involved - Apayao State College, DA, DENR, DOST, TESDA, and Land Bank of the Philippines.
There is a huge deficit in the supply of cacao in the country due to low productivity and increasing global and domestic demands, says DTI Provincial Director Wena Buston during the Apayao Cacao Forum.
Buston said there is a great potential for Apayao to take advantage in fulfilling this demand for cacao as this commodity is something that does not have a substitute and the province has existing cultivated areas.
Cacao farming, as explained by Buston, can provide a farmer cultivating one hectare of plantation a gross income of at least P130,000 a year.
During the forum, stakeholders discussed strategies to increase production and access to quality planting materials based on the climate and soil suitability map, improve farm productivity by adopting the harmonized production and post-harvest protocol, and aggressively promote value-added products.
Added to these are the strengthening of market linkage and Philippine Branding of quality cacao, continual research, and development across the value chain, continual provision of technical support and production, processing and marketing, and resource generation and mobilization.
Citing data provided in the road map goal of the country, Buston said there is a need to rehabilitate the existing 31,000 hectares area of land used for cacao farming and to increase the area by 7,000 more hectares in the next five years.
Meantime, Congresswoman Eleanor Bulut-Begtang and Governor Elias Bulut Jr, through their representatives, encouraged the stakeholders to work harder and do more in order to attain the success they want.
Apayao is known as the largest producer of cacao in the region, contributing 70% to around 30 metric tons produced in the Cordilleras. It is hoped that with the crafting of the provincial road map, the province shall contribute more and provide more opportunities to cacao growers and processors.
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